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Leighty’s Retro Review: WCW Monday Nitro 12.30.96
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-Written: 4.30.26
-Run Time: 1:45:23
-Plug: Last Week’s Nitro
-It’s the night after Starrcade and WCW handed the nWo their first two losses with Luger beating The Giant and Piper beating Hogan. No title change though as they didn’t slip that it was non-title until showtime. Now we get the fall out.
-Announce Team: Hour One: Tony Schiavone and Larry Zbyszko
-Live: Civic Coliseum, Knoxville, TN
-We start with the nWo arriving in a stretch limo and they are in a celebratory mood. Nash notes that Liz is looking “sweet.” No lies! The Giant looks bummed out and notes the belt still has his name on it. Hogan tells him they are all family, but points out that Giant dropped the ball (while ignoring his own loss last night). Giant will accept dropping the ball, but wants his shot at the nWo Title because it’s all in the family and he earned the shot at World War 3. Hogan says it will happen and notes Giant did have help from the brothers. He tells Giant he is not an enemy and as long as the belt stays in the family it is cool. Giant wants to know if this means he can’t be the top dog. Hall: “pretty much.” Hall’s ad libs during all this is tremendous! Hogan mentions he dropped the ball again and Dibiase finally has the cameraman get away from the group.
-Tony welcomes us to the show and Larry is all over the idea that the nWo has a crack in the foundation and credits Roddy Piper. Well, Luger can take some credit as well.
-We get still photos of Luger beating The Giant last night with Sting getting involved, but people still aren’t sure of his intentions.
The Amazing French Canadians (w/ Colonel Parker) vs. The Public Enemy
-We just saw this match a week ago. All four men brawl and The AFC stand tall in the ring as they are keeping PE on the floor. PE roll in on another side and all four start trading blows again. This is already better than last week’s match, but not saying too much. Grunge with a backdrop on Jacques. Double backdrop to Carl! Double clothesline follows and Carl bails to the floor to regroup with Jacques and Parker. Now The PE are keeping the AFC from entering the ring. Larry goes on a rant about pencil mustaches and getting earrings out of men’s ears and Tony is all for that. Funny enough, he ended up with an earring in his ear. PE start beating on The AFC with their flags and that should be a DQ, but I guess not. Carl gets tossed into the steps and Jacques gets placed on the table. He moves and the PE go crashing through the table. Grunge Is out so Rock gets left alone in the ring and The AFC hit the Rougeau Bomb for the pin at 3:29.
Winners: The Amazing French Canadians via pin at 3:29
-Better than last week if only because there was a finish. The ref looked silly for not calling for the DQ though as The PE used flags to beat on The AFC. *
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. The Ultimo Dragon (w/ Sonny Onoo)
-Dragon beat Malenko last night to add the WCW Cruiserweight Championship to his collection and now possesses nine belts. Dragon attacks before the bell and lands a spinning kick. Backdrop, but Dragon lands on his feet. They clothesline each other and neither flinches. They try again and both power up. Backbreaker by Liger and he gets an inverted surfboard. Handspring elbow gets two! Senton gets two! Powerbomb by Liger and he yells at Sonny on the floor. He goes for another backbreaker, but Dragon counters into one of his own. Suicide dive to the floor! He sends Liger into the railing and lands a back kick. SLam back in the ring and Dragon off the top but Liger gets his boots up. BRAINBUSTER gets two for Liger and he complains to the ref. Tony notes this two will face off of on Jan. 4 at The Tokyo Dome for all the titles. Liger blocks a charge with a boot and they both end up fighting on top. Dragon with a rana and then a Tiger Suplex for the pin at 4:44.
Winner: Ultimo Dragon via pin at 4:44
-I assume the Dome match was given a little more time. This was all action and a fun watch. ***
Strap Match: Konnan (w/ Jimmy Hart) vs. Michael Wallstreet
-This was announced as being Big Bubba, but he’s out and Wallstreet is standing in his place representing the nWo. This is trough all four corners and Wallstreet attacks Konnan before the bell. He whips Konnan and ties the strap around the legs to start dragging Konnan around the ring. He gets too two corners and then comes off the top and kind of hits and misses something so they just act like nothing happened. Konnan crotches Wallstreet with the strap and lays in some shots. Wallstreet avoids a clothesline and hits one of his own. He chokes with the strap and hangs Konnan on his as he walks around the ring. Konnan follows and tags the buckle as Wallstreet does. We are 3 posts each and they struggle for the fourth. Wallstreet lands a punch and knocks Konnan back into the corner for the win at 2:34. Wallstreet touches the fourth thinking he won. Another loss for the nWo.
Winner: Konna at 2:34
-I was going to say shortest strap match ever, but then I remembered the infamous “booker man” strap match. Wallstreet looked silly here. 1/2*
-Hulk Hogan struts out with Eric Bischoff and garbage starts flying at them. Hogan is such a great douchebag heel here as he ignores the loss and admits he had some mercy for Piper last night. This is some high quality gaslighting from both Hogan and Eric and the crowd boos them out of the building. Hogan says we will never see Piper again and jokes he would run for President, but doesn’t want to take a cut in pay.
Hugh Morrus (w/ Sonny Onoo) vs. Kensuki Sasaki
-I like to think they had a random match generator backstage that was used to make a lot of these matches. The crowd isn’t sure who to cheer for here, but I assume they will go for the guy from AMERICA! Lockup and we get a test of strength. Sasaki throws kicks to the gut and fires off chops. Morrus goes to the eyes and they start slugging it out. Morrus with a headbutt but turns his back and gets decked. Sasaki with a suplex for two. Chops and Morrus no sells. Clothesline from Hugh gets two and he follows up with a reverse chinlock. Running splash in the corner as Bischoff pops up at the announce table. We ignore the match as Eric says he has the tape of Starrcade and they aren’t showing it. Larry: “That’s not the only tape. Don’t we have the Beta?” I get that joke which makes me old! Back to match as Sasaki gets a slam, but misses an elbow from the top. I am saddened that this Tennessee crowd didn’t start one USA Chant. Morrus hits No Laughing Matter and it should be three as Onoo takes his time getting there. He decks Morrus with a flag for the DQ at 4:42.
Winner: Hugh Morrus via pin at 4:42
-Just a match with a bad ending. Better than the last match, but worse ending. 3/4*
-We get still photos of Piper winning the match with Hogan last night at Starrcade. They can steal the videotape, but by God they won’t stop still photos.
-Saturday Night: 6:05 PM: US Title: Dean vs. Eddie, Chono and Arn in action and Regal vs. Ice Train for the TV Title.
Harlem Heart (w/ Sister Sherri) vs. The Faces of Fear (w/ Jimmy Hart)
-Meng with a clothesline on Stevie, but a blind tag to Booker. He catches Barbarian with a Harlem Sidekick. Booker up, but Barbarian decks him and brings him down with a overhead suplex. I always liked that move! Meng in and gets a backbreaker for two. He sets too early on a backdrop and Booker lands a kick. Stevie back in with a backdrop and a clothesline. Colonel Parker is here and she whips Sherri on the ass and she attacks him to wake up the crowd. The AFC are out and throw powder in Stevie’s face. Kick of Fear from Meng, but Booker comes off the top onto Meng and rolls Stevie on top for the pin at 3:34.
Winners: The Harlem Heat via pin at 3:34
-Just burning through matches here. They are all about the same at this point and this qualifies as a clean finish for what we have seen the last few weeks. *
-Gene is with Diamond Dallas Page and Gene questions him about The Outsiders costing him The US Title last night. DDP says he will fix things and move on. He says he was dropped on his head and gets it now. He knows what he has to do and Gene grills him about it. Page: “the nWo.” This is the start of Page having his focus on the nWo and it made him a star.
-Hour Two Pyro!
-Hour Two Announce Team: Tony Schiavone, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan and Mike Tenay
Disco Inferno vs. Glacier
-Disco grabs a mic and has been perfecting his new leg hold. He tells Glacier to save himself the trouble and bail. Disco goes for the cheap heat and talks trash on Payton Manning and Tennessee. I mean, Tennessee did win a National Title after Payton left college. Glacier has no time for these game and works Disco over with KARATE kicks. Disco keeps shooting in for a leg, but nothing doing. Tenay puts over how effective the Cryonic Kick is and I am reminded on BUDDY LEE PARKER kicking out of it last week. Gutwrench suplex but Disco pulls the ref in the way to prevent the Cryonic Kick. Disco lands a clothesline and starts stomping away. Disco goes to the eyes and stomps away again. He drops a double axe and goes for his new leg hold, but isn’t sure what to do. Glacier gets a kick from his back and lands a strike to the gut. Disco lands an elbow to the back of the head and hits a swinging neckbreaker. Disco dances in the corner and turns around into a Cryonic Kick for the pin at 4:18.
Winner: Glacier via pin at 4:18
-This was okay as it was your normal Glacier match with him getting to make a little bit of a comeback. *
-Buy The Outsiders T-Shirt!
-Still photos of Benoit vs. Jarrett from last night! Jarrett gets the win as Sullivan breaks a wooden chair over Benoit’s head.
Chris Benoit (w/ Woman) vs. Chris Jericho
-Heenan is drooling over Woman and yes, she does look spectacular tonight. Lockup and they are moving a thousand miles a minute as I assume they aren’t getting much time here. Jericho with a springboard dropkick to knock Benoit off the apron. Jericho follows off the top with a missile dropkick to the floor. Back in the ring Benoit ducks a clothesline and drops Jericho throat first on the top rope. He fires off knees and slams Benoit down on the back of his head. Jericho eats a slap to the face and Benoit talks trash. Spinebuster followed by an elbow gets two! Benoit notes this one is over as he goes for a powerbomb. Jericho lands on his feet and gets a backslide for two. Chop by Benoit for two. They trade chops and Jericho gets a roll-up for two. Heavy clothesline from Jericho gets two. Benoit pulls the tights to send Jericho into the middle buckle. Jericho with an atomic drop out of the corner and then a super kick. Lionsault misses! They fight on the apron and Jericho heads up. He hits a cross-body by gets caught in the corner. Benoit brings him down with a top rope belly-to-back suplex for the pin at 3:59.
Winner: Chris Benoit via pin at 3:59
-Good match considering the time they were given. Needed a better finish though. Still, it ended the run of not so good wrestling on this show. ***
-The Horsemen are with Gene (minus Arn) and Debra is now friends with Woman. She isn’t taking Debra’s crap and Mongo is ready to throw down. Flair wearing a Florida Gators pullover and still getting cheered in Knoxville, Tennessee is wild. Jarrett is out and wants answers as to why Arn dropped him on his head last night. Flair says Arn is over at the Hyatt with a Miller Lite in his hand so cold it would freeze the hand of an eskimo. Kevin Nash is taking notes backstage I bet. Flair then dances with Woman. Benoit tells Jarrett he proved last night he could be anything, but a Horseman. Debra then says Woman is upset over her weight gain and tells Steve he would killed Benoit. Flair’s answer to the Horsemen in-fighting is to dance some more. Weird dynamic with the group at this time, but it’s not boring.
-Lee Marshall is On The Road with 1-800-Collect in Monroe, LA! Weasel jokes!
Mascarita Sagrada and Octagoncito vs. Jerito Estrada and Piratita Morgan
-I bet Nash made a joke about Benoit and Jericho already having the “midget” match earlier in the show. I don’t remember the minis being on Nitro. I know WWF started using them in 97, but here we are. Tenay is right there to break things down for us and I appreciate his knowledge. Sagrada ended up in WWF as Max Mini. They start flying all over the ring and we get a double pin with a one count. Heenan: “It’s like a riot at a daycare center,” and that BREAKS Tony. Estrada misses a charge and is seems he is the giant as far as the division goes as he is 5 feet tall. I guess that is the height limit for the division. He would probably be a Champion in ROH today. The crowd seems entertained as they continue to fly around the ring and Heenan makes jokes. Sagrada gets a roll-up on Estrada for the pin at 2:18.
Winners: Mascarita Sagrada and Octagoncito via pin at 2:18
-Well, it was all action at least, but felt out of place on Nitro. Which is weird because Nitro was known for just throwing crazy random matches out there. *1/2
Rey Mysterio vs. Dean Malenko
-Both men already in the ring as the bell sounds. Rey gets a half crab, but Dean counters into a modified STF. He snaps Rey over and gets a reverse chinlock. He tosses Rey in the air, but he counters that and sends Dean to the floor. Rey with a dropkick through the ropes and Dean takes his time to regroup before getting back into the ring. Dean gets Rey on the mat again and behinds his arms back. Rey frees an arm and starts flipping to counter the hold. He hooks a front facelock, but Dean carries him back to the corner. Right hand from Dean and this time he fires Rey in the air and lets him fall on his face. GUTBUSTER gets two! Snap suplex and Dean goes to a Half Crab, that is closer to a Liontamer. This crowd is dead and this match is just kind of happening, so Tony takes the chance to run down the next month of TV dates. Backbreaker from Dean as Bobby asks Tony if he likes 360 lbs women in bowling shirts, because he will if he likes Green Bay. Rey gets sent chest first into the corner. Dean with forearms and Rey has to fire back. That starts to get the crowd into the mat. Alley-oop and its seems Rey wanted to land on the ropes, but slipped. Dean with a suplex back into the ring, but Rey counters and lands on Rey. Rey with a handspring onto Dean’s shoulders, but gets powerbombed for two. Roll-up by Rey gets two! Sunset flip into a roll-up for two as well. Dean runs Rey down with a clothesline and gets a slam. Dean looks to go up, but Rey springs off the ropes and hits a kick. He heads up top and flies over the top post and hits a seated splash. Springboard back in, but Dean counters into a Boston Crab. Rey counters and Dean counters and Rey counters into a roll-up for two. The crowd is finally getting into this one thanks to the sheer force of Rey and Dean doing there thing. Rey up top and comes off with a rana but the bells sounds and we have a 10 minute draw at 9:21.
Draw at 9:21
-Two weeks in a row with a draw and both times the timer was rushed. This was getting good when they ended it sadly. **1/4
-Rey wants five more minutes, but not happening tonight.
Lex Luger vs. Greg “The Hammer” Valentine
-GREG VALENTINE gets the last Main Event Match for WCW in 1996. Weird, man! Luger is fresh off beating the Giant and a bunch of other monsters leading up to last night. Hammer is no Giant, but he can fire off some chops. He drops an elbow to the top of the head and hooks a reverse chinlock. Another elbow and more chops. Luger fires back with right hands as the crowd starts to chant for Sting. Valentine blocks a charge in the corner and lands another elbow. Knee to the face and another forearm. Luger back with a clothesline but charges and gets sent to the floor through the ropes, so no DQ. Valentine off the apron with an elbow and hey, how about another elbow. One more and then a knee knocks Luger back to the floor. Luger getting controlled by Valentine after beating The Giant is a choice. Luger escapes a suplex back into the ring and gets The Torture Rack for the pin at 2:41.
Winner: Lex Luger via submission at 2:41
-A trend tonight as this was another short match with a quiet crowd until the finish. *
-Roddy Piper is out and the crowd is happy to see him. He talks about putting Hogan to sleep last night and says that was his last fight as he is getting too old for this. Hulk Hogan is out with Eric Bischoff and Hogan looks PISSED! Piper mocks Hogan by laying on his back. Hogan calls Piper a liar and we get Piper making jokes about Hogan pissing on a fire hydrant and then mentions pooping. Hogan yells at the crowd which draws more heat. Piper tells him to talk and get this moving. Hogan: “this is about your family, boy.” Hogan claims Piper’s son begged him to take it easy last night. Piper wants to fight and here’s the rest of the nWo. I mean, Piper had to know that was coming. The Outsiders and Syxx go after Piper’s bad hip. The Giant slowly walks down as he doesn’t seem thrilled to be there. Garbage and drinks star pelting the ring in epic fashion. They drop Piper shoulder first on Norton’s knee. The amount of garbage being tosses into the ring is rather impressive. This is the chaos I love about this era of WCW. Hogan with a chair to the bad hip and the beating continues. Hogan slaps Piper around and then wants the Giant to hit a choke slam. He has the goose, but doesn’t follow through and releases Piper, which gets a big pop. Nick Patrick is out and is now officially nWo. Hogan and crew regroup as Hogan notes they have a problem. A stretcher is out to take Piper away as Hogan tells Giant he dropped the ball. Piper screams in tongues and that becomes important later. Hogan slaps Giant in the face and he’s had enough so he goozles Hogan and forces everyone to clear the ring. Hogan starts crying as he apologizes and then agrees to a give Giant his Title Match. Hogan is great as he tells Giant he loves him and didn’t know the Title Match meant that much to him. Tony: “Oh, don’t let that man go.” Hogan gets clear of the ring and then has everyone attack. Bagwell jumps on his back and gets tossed. Chokeslam to Vincent. One for fake Sting! Eventually the numbers catch up to him and Giant gets swarmed. Hogan cracks him in the back with the World Title and that gets Giant down to his knees. The gang beating continues and they rip the nWo shirt off to turf him from the group. Belt shot to the head and Hogan slaps Giant as we see Piper getting take away in an ambulance to close the show.
-Thanks for reading!
